Apparatus for the salvage of vessels.



M. L. JOHNSON.

APPARATUS FOR THE SALVAGE 0F VESSELS.

APPLIOATION FILED MAE.11, 1913.

1,073,990, Patented Sept. 23, 1913.

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Witnesses Inventor Attorneys col-UMIIA ruuouiunm C0-.WASMINGTON. 0.:-

WE STA lEb MARQUIS IA. JOHNSON, OF MANKATO, MINNESOTA.

APPARATUS FOR THE SALVAGE OF VESSELS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

*atented Sept. 23, 1.913.

Application filed March 11, 1913. Serial No. 753,611.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, hlARQUIS ll. Jounson, a citizen of the United States, residing at lvlankato, in the county of Blue Earth and State of Minnesota, have invented a new and useful Apparatus for the Salvage of Vessels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for the salvage of vessels.

An object of the present invention is to provide means whereby a vessel may be easily and readily raised.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a buoy secured to a vessel whereby the said buoy may float and remain upon the surface of the water should the vessel to which it is attached sink.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a post upon an upper portion of the vessel and securely attach the same to the various decks and hall thereof and to further provide means whereby a cable with a ring secured to one end thereof may be brought in contact with and adapted to engage the said post whereby the vessel may be raised.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings accompanying this specification and forming a part thereof, the preferable form of my invention is illustrated, in which- Figure 1 is a view of the buoy as positioned upon an upper deck of a vessel. Fig. 2 is a vertical cross sectional view illustrating the securing post and the reel secured therebeneath, to which reel the buoy is fastened. Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of the post as secured to the upper deck of a vessel and with a cable with a ring attached to the end thereof engaging the upper portion of said post.

Referring to the drawings in which similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, 1 represents the top deck or portion of a was sel and 2 represents a hermetically sealed buoy positioned thereon. The said buoy is normally held in place and stationary upon the deck 1 by i'neans of the beams 3 which are hingedly secured to the vessel deck and allow that the buoy may readily tloat upwardly therefrom should the vessel become submerged. It is to be noted in this (0111106- tion that the )articular shape or structure of the buoy does not constitute any part of the present invention, the buoy as shown serving to represent a conventional type only.

Secured upon the uppermost deck 1 of the vessel is the post comprising a base l a restricted central portion 5 extending upwardly therefrom the upper portion of which is provided with the outward and downwardly extending arms or projections 6. Secured to or formed integral with the base l of the post are the spaced arms or members 7 which extend downwardly through the various decks with which the hull is provided and are securely attached to each and every one thereof and terminate at the bottom of the hull to which they are rigidly secured. By this means it will be apparent that any upward pressure exerted upon the said post will be transmitted through and to the various decks and to the hull with the result that when a cable is secured to the said post, by exerting an upward force thereon, the entire vessel may be raised, it being noted in this connection that a number of buoys and posts therefore may be secured to a vessel. the number depending upon the strength of the post and the size of the vessel and also the practical stress which may be exerted upon the cable which may be secured to the post.

The post is provided with an aperture 8 extending centrally therethrougb as illustrated in l' ig. 2 of the drawings and through which opening extends a guide cable 9, the upper extremity of the cable being socured to the buoy 2 as illustrated in Fig. 1 and the lower portion thereof is secured upon a drum or wheel, 10 upon which a suitable length thereof is wound. The said reel or drum 10 may be rotatably supported upon an axle 11 which is secured to the arms 7. The cable 9 is of a size and weight so that a considerable length thereof may be supported by means of the buoy 2, the ac tion being that when the vessel sinks or submerges, the buoy 2 with the cable 9 secured thereto will remain uponthe surface of the water and as the vessel sinks the cable 9 will be unwound from the reel 10 until the vessel has assumed aposition upon the bottom. The buoy 2 will remain upon the surface of the water and serve as a signal to indicate the position of the sunken vessel as well as a guide by which a ring with a cable secured thereto may be passed over the spreading arms 6 of the post so that the cable may be secured thereto and the entire'vessel raised. I

As illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings, when it is desired to raise a vessel, the buoy 2 is removed from the top portion of the guide cable and a ring 12 is passed thereover, the said ring 12 being of considerable strength and to which is secured a steel cable or chain 13 of considerable strength and the said cable and ring secured thereto are then lowered in the water and will be' guided by means of the cable 9 until the ring passes over the post and down upon the body portion 5 thereof, it being understood in this connection that it may requiresome little patience and efl' ort to cause the ring 12 to successfully negotiate the enlarged portions 6 of the post but by holding the cable 9 taut and suitably jarring the cable 13,

I the'ring 12 will pass over the enlarged portion of the post and having once assumed the position as illustrated in Fig. 3 it will be impossible for the ring to become accidentally detached from the post and furthermore when a suitable upward force upon the cable 13 is exerted the entire ves sel will be raised, it being noted in this connection that the invention is particularly useful in those cases in which a vessel sinks in a great depth of water and it is impos sible to send a diver down to fasten raising cables thereto. Also mention is made of the fact that the name of the vessel and length of cable attached thereto may be stamped upon the buoy. 7

Having thus fully described the invention,

said post aperture, a buoy disposed upon the top deck of the said Vessel and secured to the said guide cable, and a lifting cable provided with an annular ring secured thereto adapted to slide uponthe guide cable for the engagement of the said post arms.

2. In an apparatus of the class described the combination of a post secured to the top deck of a vessel and lnoludmg a base, spaced arms formed integral with the said base and extending downwardlythrough and secured to the various decks of the vessel, outstanding downwardly projecting arms connected to the upper extremity of said post, said post provided with an aperture extending centrally there'through, a drum rotatably scoured to the said first mentioned arms and in alinement with the post aperture, a'guid'e cable wound upon the said drum and a buoy resting upon the top deck of the vessel and connected to the said guide cable, means for preventing the shifting of said buoy, and a lifting cable provided with an annular ring secured thereto, said annular ring encompassing the guide cable for the engagement of the former with the outwardly and downwardly projecting arms of the post.

' In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

MARQUIS L. JOHNSON.

l Vitnesses:

GEO. P. RODMAN,

CHAs. A. CHAPMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of ?atents. Washington, D. C. 

